Mike Byrne, a federal coordinating officer for FEMA, told CBS News that this is the first time FEMA has offered an "air breach," since it normally relocates evacuees to hotels. According to Bryne, only 30 families have expressed interest in the program so far.

"People really don't want to leave their homes," he said. "We want to give them every opportunity we can to be able to stay here, whether it's providing financial assistance or repairing their homes. So we are going to work hard on those things so people don't have to leave."

The Trump administration has been heavily criticized for its handling of the emergency, most notably from San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz, who told reporters in September: "We are dying here." Six weeks later, more than half the island remains without power.